Crane.



No. 673,7H'. l Patented May 7, |90l.

' L. S. FLECKENSITEIN.

CRAN-E.

(Application led Jan. 22, 1901.) (llo Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I. Jog. l

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No. 673,7". Patented may 7'7 Igor. L. s. FLECKENSTEIN.

CRAN-s.'

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ILIIIIHII W/TNESSES f /N VE N TOI? L. L5'. Fclezwv. M BY ATTORNEYS mi Norms PETERS co.. Prioroumn. wan-immenso. c4

UNITED I STATES lPATENT OFFICE.

LEONARD S. FLECKENSTEIN, OF' EASTON, MARYLAND.

CRANE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters'Patent No. 673,711, dated May 7, 1901. i Application filed January 22, 1901. Serial. No. 44,291. (No model.) 4

T a/ZZ whom, it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, LEONARD S. FLECKEN- STEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Easton, in the county of Talbot and State of Maryland, have made certain new and usefnl Improvements in Cranes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in the class of cranes which are adapted to rotate around a central axis and are provided with means for throwing the constantly-running power mechanism into and out of action by means of a hand lever. I have devised changes in and attachments for an old form of crane which is in use and have thereby greatly increased its efliciency.

The details of construction, arrangement, and operation of parts are as hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved crane arranged as in use. Fig. 2 is a vertical enlarged section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an edge view of the upper bearing of the crane. Fig. 5 is a face view of the same. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the fixed upper bearing of the crane-post. Fig. 7 is a central longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 8 is a detail vertical section showing the lower bearing of the crane-post, and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the eccentric foot of the crane-post.

The frame of the crane proper consists of the horizontal boom 1, the vertical post or pillar 2, and the diagonal braces 3. The said post 2 is journaled or pivoted eccentrically in suitable bearings attached to the upper floor a. and lower floor b. An iron foot 4 (see Fig. 9) is bolted to the lowerend of the post 2 and provided with a hole in its horizontal portien for reception of a pivot-pin 5, (see Figs. 1 and- 8,) which enters a socket in a step 6, bolted to the oor head, as shown, and thus adapted to be readily removed when required. By this means I provide for convenient setting up and removal of the post as occasion requires. The upper end of the post 2 is provided with a bearing 7, (see Figs. 4 and 5,) which is bolted in place and provided with a circular head 8, which is arranged eccentrically, correspondb. The said pin 5 is provided with a` ing to the pivotal arrangement of the foot 4 before described. This bearing is formed of cast metal and cut ont centrally to lessen cost and weight of same. lts circular head 8 enters a socket 9, (see Fig. 7,) formed in the Xed bearing 10, which is secured to the upper door a. Said bearing is provided with horizontal iianges, which are bolted to the floor on the under side, and with vertical anges or lugs ll, which project through an opening in said floor and are provided with coincident openings to receive the drive-shaft 12. The said bearing 10 thus accommodates both the driving-shaft 12 and the driven shaft 13, which is arranged vertically in the circular head 8 in the post-bearing 7 and provided With'a bevel-gear 14, that mesheswith a like gear'l ou the drive-shaft 12. The lower end of the shaft 13 is journaled in a bearing 16, which is bolted to the casting 7. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) A bevel 17 on the lower end of the shaft 13 meshes with alike gear 18 on a horizontal shaft 19, Which is also held in bearings 20, secured to the casting 7. The outer end of said shaft 19 carries a flanged band-pulley 21, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. A band 22 runs from this pulley to a larger similar pulley 23, which is keyed on ashaft 24, arranged horizontally on the central portion of the boom l and having ou its opposite end a chain-wheel 25, on which runs an endless hand-chain 26. (See Fig. 1.) A spur-gear 27 is keyed on the shaft 24 adjacent to the band-pulley 23 and meshes with a smaller gear 28, which is mounted on the cross-shaft 29. The latter carriesa chain-drum 30, on which the hoisting-'chain 31 is wound. Said chain. passes over a chain-pulley 32, arranged at the free end of the boom, and is provided at its pendent end with a hook, as is usual in this class of cranes.

The belt 22 is normally slack, but is tightened by means of a pulley 33, (see Fig. 1,) connected by a bar 34 with a hand-lever 35, which is pivoted to the post 2 at a point removed but a few feet from the floor b, so it may be conveniently grasped and operated by a person standing on the latter.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that I have provided an upper bearing for the post which is also a bearing for the Vdrive-shaft and that the casting 7, secured to IOO the post and constituting the pivot of the same, serves also as a bearing for the driven shaft 13. The said shaft is thereby relieved of all strain, which is taken by the casting or bearing 7. This arrangement is a marked improvement over the old form of crane of this class in which the driven shaft was ordinarily arranged inthe center of the post and which it was difiicult to set and keep truly,

vertical, since the post was liable to warp and throw the shaft out of true. It will be further seen that by axial extension of the horizontal boom-shafts 19 and 24 and the applishaft 19, and the belt 22, which ordinarily hangs slack on the rotated pulley 21, may be easily and quickly tightened to give the belt the tension required to rotate the countershaft 24, and thereby wind up the chain 31, as required for the hoisting operation. By slightly releasing the pressure of the belttightener the hoisting-chain may be allowed to unwind with greater or less rapidity for the purpose of lowering any object that has been hoisted. It will be further seen that the hand-chain 26, which is an ordinary attachment for this form of crane, may be employed at will for hoisting manually whenever the power mechanism is out of order or for any reason not available for use. I thus combine in one simple mechanism means for governing the hoisting when the power is applied and means for utilizing the ordinary hand-chain when .the same is for any reason advantageous.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. As an improved article of manufacture, the upper crane-post bearing consisting of a metal plate having an eccentric circular head, a central vertical passage or opening therein, and a lower bearing which is alined with such passage, substantially as shown and described.

In otherv 2. The combination, with the crane proper and a power-shaft, of an eccentric, upper' post-bearing having shaft-bearings in vertical alinement with its eccentric head, a shaft arranged in such vertical bearings, and hoisting mechanism arranged on the'crane proper and driven by such vertical shaft, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with the vertical driving-shaft, and the pi voted crane-frame, of two horizontal parallel shafts journaled on the crane-boom and eX tended laterally therefrom the inner one of said shafts being in permanent rotative engagement with said vertical shaft, friction mechanism applied to the ends of such parallel shafts, and having a manual device for controlling said friction mechanism., a'nd hoisting mechanism proper which is actuated from the outer shaft, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination, with the vertical driving-shaft and the pivoted crane-frame, of two horizontal parallel shafts journaled on the crane-boom and extended laterally therefrom, the inner one of said shafts being in permanent rotative engagement with said vertical shaft, and band-pulleys keyed on the ends of such parallel shafts, a band running loose on saidpulleys, and a tightener applied to said belt and including a hand device for adjusting it, and hoisting mechanism proper, substantially as shown and described.

5. The improved hoisting apparatus cousisting of a power-shaft, the swinging crane proper having-eccentric bearings, a vertical driven shaft arranged in alinement with the crane-post bearings, the two horizontal shafts arranged on the crane-boom and extended axially beyond its side, friction-pulleys, friction-pulleys keyed on the projecting ends of said shafts, a band which is normally loose on such pulleys, a pulley adapted to engage the belt, a hand-lever pivoted below the belt for adjusting its pulley, a chain-wheel in the outer one of the parallel shafts, an endless hand-chain which hangs from said wheel, and

-a hoistingchain and hoisting mechanism proper in operative connection with the outer parallel shaft, as shown and described.

LEONARD S. FLECKENSTEIN.

Witnesses:

CHAs. E. ,NIooLs, W. S. WILSON.

IOO 

